Ash tray and snuffer



March 16, 1965 J. J. DORRANCE 3,173,641

ASH TRAY AND SNUFFER Filed July 2. 1963 United States Patent 3,173,641 ASH TRAY AND SNUFFER Joseph J. Dorrance, 4251 W. Irving Park Road, Chicago, Ill. Filed July 2, 1963, Ser. No. 292,341

' 2 Claims. (Cl. 248-453) The present invention relates to a device adapted for use as an ash tray and a snuffer for extinguishing cigarettes, or the like.

The device of the present invention is portable and can be temporarily attached to a suitable supporting surface which can be either horizontal or vertical. The receptacle portion of the device is arranged to be readily removable from the remainder of the device for convenience in cleaning and emptying. The receptacle is also positioned at a convenient angle to facilitate insertion of a lit cigarette, without the necessity of grinding the lit cigarette against a surface for extinguishing it.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide an improved device adapted for use as an ash tray and snuifer or the like in which a base panel carries a supporting frame comprising a collar portion defining an opening into which an elongated tubular receptacle having straight outside wall surfaces is longitudinally slidably engaged and supported at an acute angle on the axis of the collar opening which axis intersects the panel diagonally and with abutments on the supporting frame and engaging a closed end of the receptacle and maintaining the receptacle in a position in the collar wherein the receptacle projects substantially beyond the side of the collar facing away from the base portion for ready manipulation of the receptacle for axial siidable removal and replacement.

Another object of the invention is to provide a combined ash tray and snuffer device in which the receptacle portion is inclined at a convenient angle to the supporting structure.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved ash tray and snuffer structure which can be easily and economically manufactured.

A further description of the present invention will be made in conjunction with the attached sheet of drawings which illustrates several embodiments of the invention.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a view in elevation of the device of the present invention positioned on a horizontal surface;

FIGURE 2 is a front elevational view of the device shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary View in elevation illustrating a modified form of securing means which can be employed with the device of the present invention; and

FIGURE 4 is a View in elevation of the device of the present invention when secured to a vertical surface.

As shown on, the drawings:

In FIGURE 1, reference numeral indicates generally the ash tray and snuffer assembly of the present invention temporarily secured to a horizontal supporting surface 11 which may, for example, be a table, the dashboard of an automobile, or the like. The device includes a base 12 in the form of a panel having upturned marginal end portions 13 and 14 to facilitate lifting of the base off the supporting surface. For attaching the base 12 to the supporting surface, means illustrated in FIG- URE 1 consists of a permanent magnet 16 which is secured to the base 12 and which attaches itself to the surface 11 by a magnetic attraction. This type of attaching means is particularly useful when the device is used in an automobile since it enables the device to be attached along any part of the dashboard where it is convenient to use.

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According to the present invention, improved means are provided for readily slidably removably supporting a receptacle in a convenient attitude on the base 12. To this end, a supporting wire framework 17 has a coiled portion 18 providing a collar supported a substantial distance above the base 12 and defining a receptacle-receiving opening with its axis at an inclined angle to the base. Below the collar 18 the frame 17 has leg portions 19 converging toward upturned adjacent abutment end portions which extend upwardly from the base 12 in alignment with the collar opening and spaced from the collar. Thereby, an elongated hollow receptacle 22 open at one end and closed at its opposite end is received in the collar 18 which supports the receptacle intermediately with the closed end of the receptacle engaging the abutment provided by the end portions 21. A desirable inclined angle for the receptacle 22 is about 45. The disposition of the container at this angle makes it far easier to simply slide the lighted end of the cigarette into the open end of the container 22 and let it slide down the inner wall of the container 22. I have found that a cigarette will be extinguished in this type of container within twelve to fifteen seconds after insertion, and that this quick extinction does not provide significant smoldering of the cigarette as it does in an ordinary ash tray and consequently practically no tars are deposited in the container. Not only does this make the container easier to clean, but the cigarette can be relit if desired without the undesirable taste which accompanies the relighting of a cigarette which has been allowed to burn itself out.

The modified form of the invention illustrated in FIG- URE 3 is in all respects similar to that shown in FIG- URES l and 2 except for the fact that the securing means takes the form of a suction cap 23 which takes the place of the permanent magnet 16, and an outwardly flared end portion 25 is provided at the end of the container 22'. The same type of configuration can, of course, be used with the containers shown in the other figures.

In FIGURE 4, I have illustrated that the device of the present invention can be usably supported along a vertical surface 24 as well as along a horizontal supporting surface. The angular inclination of the container 22 with respect to the base 12 presents a convenient angle for the insertion of the cigarette. The container 22 is also made oversized with respect to the diameter of the cigarette so that it is a simple matter to dispose of the cigarette simply by inserting the lighted end into the angularly disposed passageway and letting gravity carry the cigarette to the base of the container 22.

From the foregoing, it will be understood that the ash tray and snuifer of the present invention can be secured to any type of surface and still present a readily available, readily removable container for a lit cigarrette. The device can be used in automobiles, trucks or in indoor locations where it is not convenient to have any other types of cigarette receptacles. The ease with which a lit cigarette can be disposed of with this device provides a definite reduction in fire hazard possibilities. It should also be evident that various modifications can be made to the described embodiments without departing from the scope of the present invention.

I claim as my invention.

1. A device adapted for use as an ash tray and snuifer or the like and comprising,

(A) an elongated tubular receptacle open at one end and closed at the opposite end and having longitudinally straight outside wall surfaces,

(B) a base panel,

(C) and a supporting frame comprising (a) a portion having a collar defining an opening into which said receptacle is longitudinally slidably engaged,

(b) a base portion extending from said first mentioned portion spaced from said collar and attached to said panel,

(c) said portions being relatively disposed at an acute angle such that-saidcollar substantially overlies said base portionand the axis of the opening in the collar intersects said panel diagonally,

(d) an abutment projection extending from said base portion into alignment with' the collar opening and spaced from the collar a distance such that the abutment is engaged by the closed end of said receptacle and maintains the receptacle in a position in said collar wherein the receptacle projects substantiallybeyond the side of said collar facing, away from said base portion for ready manipulation of the receptacle for axial slidable removaland replacement.

, 2. A device .as defined in' claim 1, in which said suprv porting frame comprises a single piece of wire, the collar comprising a coil of the Wire, .said first portion comprising a pairfof divergent arms projecting substantially tangentially from the coil,- the base portion comprising a pair oflegs extending from'said arms convergently to ward one another, and; said abutment comprising turned up ends of said legs.

References Cited by the Examiner.

V UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,691,564 1'1/ 28 Ca1dWell 13,1---235. 2,034,424 3/36 Southworth 131-235 2,737,956 3/56' Casper 13l235 2,777,449 1/57 Foster 7 l31= -'6 2,907,469 10/59 Goyette e 211,- 2,931,367 1 4/60 Glenny 131-256 2,965,108 12/60 Schlatterer: 131-256 FOREIGN PATENTS 603,478 1/26 France.

714,619 *9/31 France.

8403937 6/52 Germany.

CLAUDE A; LEROY, Primary Examiner. JGSEPH' s.- REVIC'H, FRANK- L. ABBOTT, Examiners. 

1. A DEVICE ADAPTED FOR USE AS AN ASH TRAY AND SNUFFER OR THE LIKE AND COMPRISING, (A) AN ELONGATED TUBULAR RECEPTACLE OPEN AT ONE END AND CLOSED AT THE OPPOSITE END AND HAVING LONGITUDINALLY STRAIGHT OUTSIDE WALL SURFACES, (B) A BASE PANEL, (C) AND A SUPPORTING FRAME COMPRISING (A) A PORTION HAVING A COLLAR DEFINING AN OPENING INTO WHICH SAID RECEPTACLE IS LONGITUDINALLY SLIDABLY ENGAGED, (B) A BASE PORTION EXTENDING FROM SAID FIRST MENTIONED PORTION SPACED FROM SAID COLLAR AND ATTACHED TO SAID PANEL, (C) SAID PORTIONS BEING RELATIVELY DISPOSED AT AN ACUTE ANGLE SUCH THAT SAID COLLAR SUBSTANTIALLY OVERLIES SAID BASE PORTION AND THE AXIS OF THE OPENING IN THE COLLAR INTERSECTS SAID PANEL DIAGONALLY, (D) AN ABUTMENT PROJECTION EXTENDING FROM SAID BASE PORTION INTO ALIGNMENT WITH THE COLLAR OPENING AND SPACED FROM THE COLLAR A DISTANCE SUCH THAT THE ABUTMENT IS ENGAGED BY THE CLOSED END OF SAID RECEPTACLE AND MAINTAINS THE RECEPTACLE IN A POSITION IN SAID COLLAR WHEREIN THE RECEPTACLE PROJECTS SUBSTANTIALLY BEYOND THE SIDE OF SAID COLLAR FACING AWAY FROM SAID BASE PORTION FOR READY MANIPULATION OF THE RECEPTACLE FOR AXIAL SLIDABLE REMOVAL AND REPLACEMENT. 